Iced Café de la Olla

Café de la Olla is a national drink of coffee spiced with cinnamon, piloncillo and other flavors of choice.  Folklore gives origin to this traditional beverage that the emperor Montezuma indulged in a beverage of cacao, corn and honey.  It’s also known to be a popular beverage in the Mexican coffee growing states of Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Another historical note is that Café de la Olla was commonly prepared by the women of the Mexican Revolution the soldiers so they could be nourished with stimulant and sugar.

It’s traditionally consumed hot, but iced it makes a great summer refreshment.  Let’s get started.

Ingredients

8 cups  water

2 cinnamon sticks

4 oz piloncillo or 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Orange peel, large

1 cup ground coffee

Preparation

In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and add cinnamon, piloncillo (or brown sugar) and orange  peel.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Subsequently add the coffee, stir, and turn off heat. Wait until the coffee settles in the bottom of the pot. Strain and cool.

Serve over ice with or without milk.

Note:

For more flavor, add a few pieces of one or all – clove, allspice and anise. For an occasional libation add Kahlúa or rum.

Piloncillo is made from pure, unrefined sugar that is pressed into a cone shape. It tastes very similar to brown sugar with a molasses flavor (even though it does not contain molasses).  You can use it for anything that calls for brown sugar. It’s name means “little pylon” because of it’s shape. The smaller cones are usually around 1 ounce and the larger ones around 8 ounces and can be found in your Mexican markets or purchased from the internet.

Buen provecho

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